Trafalgar Castle School - Yearbook (Whitby, Ontario Canada)

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opening. The Marquis of Lorne, and his wife Princess Louise, a daughter of Queen Victoria, arrived at the uptown station near the college after first being greeted at the Grand Trunk station near Port Whitby. Mr. Hare, repre- senting the college, was among the distinguished guests to board the Vice-Regal train to be pre- sented to the Governor-General. As the train approached the uptown station, a royal salute was fired from detonators on the railway track. A platform with mottos, evergreens and decor- ations was erected at the station beside which were platforms of ascending seats occupied by local high school pupils and students of the college. As the visitors proceeded along a carpeted passage the students sang The Campbells are Comin ' in honor of the Governor-General, whose name was John Douglas Sutherland Campbell. Following the town and county addresses and presentation of local dignitaries, four students of the college presented the princess with bouquets of flowers. This was to be followed by an ode of welcome sung by the young ladies of the college, but since time was running out, the students did not have an opportunity to sing their ode. They had to be content with presenting the Vice- Regal party with two copies printed on white satin. Princess Louise described the occasion as one of the prettiest receptions I have ever had, and the Governor-General was full of questions about the Ontario Ladies ' College However, unlike Lord Dufferin, he did not have time to visit the premises. The following is the ode offered to the Governor-General by the students of OLC: An Ode of Welcome We come, a youthful band To welcome to this land loyal and free A son of Argyle ' s line Where many virtues shine And truth and right combine In rare degree. From every heart there goes Welcome to England ' s Rose! Whom here we greet May God protect from ill. Enrich with blessing still. And all life ' s moments fill With bliss complete. Though far from Britain ' s shore We only love the more Our Sovereign here. No power this love can break. And for Victoria ' s sake. Right to our hearts we take Her children dear. Tobogganing was a popular sport in the fields south of the college.

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A south view of the college in winter with the telescope house in foreground. Chapter Eight The Visit of the Marquis of Lorne In March of 1878 Mrs. Taverner Graham, a noted elocutionist, presented several read- ings at the Ontario Ladies ' College, including scenes from Shakespeare ' s Macbeth and con- temporary writings. She was so well received by the pupils that in later years she was hired as a teacher. The teaching staff at that time consisted of the Principal Mr. Hare, who taught Natural Science and Mathematics, and the governor Mr. Sanderson, who took English Literature and Language, the classics and Mental and Moral Philosophy. Miss Wilson taught senior English classes, while Miss Maude Jarvis, the college ' s gold medalist of 1887 handled the junior classes. Miss Cowle and Miss Kerr assisted Mr. Torrington with music and Miss Brown taught drawing and painting. Mile Buchannan and latterly Mile Quillet were in charge of Modern Languages, and Major Dearnally, riding and gymnastics. The Board of Directors supplied the col- lege with a collection of maps, globes, physio- logical and botanical charts, and chemical apparatus, and a telescope was set up south of the main building. The telescope was housed in a frame shed with a roof that opened to the sky for night viewing of the stars under the in- struction of the principal. A fossil cabinet contained more than 500 specimens neatly labelled and arranged in cases. Casts of celebrated fossils including a human skull from Neaunderthal near Dusseldorf, Germany were on display. The collection of stuffed birds begun in 1875 had also increased. Attendance reached 110 in 1878, made up of 88 boarders and 22 day pupils. A 15 per cent reduction in fees was offered to those who paid one year ' s board and tuition in advance. An extensive program of lectures by noted professors and elocutionists was conducted through the winter of 1878-79, establishing a tradition that was to prevail well into the 20th century. Prof. Thomas Kirkland and Dr. Haanel of Victoria University offered courses of lectures, along with Mrs. Taverner Graham, a frequent visitor to the college. Late in 1879 the first of OLC ' s monthly magazines, The Sunbeam went into publication. The young ladies submitted poems, stories and essays to The Sunbeam, which was sold in the college and at local stores for 50 cents a copy. The year also saw the resignation of J. E. Sanderson as governor, leaving Mr. Hare to take over that position while continuing his duties as principal. He moved into the Cottage and started his work as governor by extending the college ' s advertising program. On Sept. 20, 1879 the Ontario Ladies ' College was graced with its third visit by a Governor-General, the second s ' nce the official

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College with new trees along driveway, C. 1880. Chapter Nine The 1880s -- Prosperity in Hard Times The 1880s, a prosperous period for the Ontario Ladies ' College in spite of hard times, began with an announcement by the Governor- General of a silver medal to be awarded at the next commencement. The Sunbeam was re- ceiving scores of letters in praise of its contents, and many noted lecturers and artists continued to provide entertainments at the college. The college literary society partici- pated in these entertainments, which were open to the citizens of Whitby. Tickets for the year ' s seven entertainments were 75 cents or 20 cents for a single admission. The enter- tainments were highly successful, the only drawbacks being the offensive gasses pro- duced by the colored lights. Topics of lectures included The History of the Earth, illustrated by stereoptican views by Prof. Thomas Kirkland, and a reading of Dickens ' Christmas Carol. Winter brought complaints that the snow on the sidewalks to the college was not shovelled, it is pitiable to have the young ladies of the college walking through deep snow and slush in such a leading thoroughfare of the town, commented the Whitby Chronicle. Goldwin Smith made his second appear- ance at the college to address the students on commencement day, 1880, speaking on com- mencement days at Eton and Oxford. On the same occasion, the first alumnae society at the Ontario Ladies ' College was formed and a constitution adopted. The officers were Miss Herriman, president; Miss Phillips, vice-president; Miss L. Wilson, secretary- treasurer; and Misses Jarvis, Vair and Sherin, committee of management. In 1881 the lecture series continued with such eminent personalities as Dr. Nelles, president of Victoria University, speaking on mistakes in education; Prof. Macoun, of Albert University, on the North West; Dr. Haenel on music, and Professor Bell, the leading elocutionist in Canada, presenting a series of readings. French and German conversation were stressed in the 1880s with a view toward travelling on the Continent. The main courses led to university examina- tions for women, a new concept in education, and many optional courses were offered. Professor Edward Fisher, a noted Toronto musician, succeeded Mr. Torrington as musi- cal director in 1881. The same year James Holden, the first president of the college ' s Board of Directors, died and was succeeded by G. Y. Smith, a Whitby lawyer. Miss M. E. Adams, of Brookhurst School in Cobourg, was engaged as Lady Principal at this time, to supervise the pupils in relation to manners and social culture. Previously this position had been occupied by Mrs. Hare, the principal ' s wife. The following are excerpts from letters by a student at the college in 1882, outlining day- to-day happenings in the life of the pupils: Sept. 29, 1882 -- We had a splendid time on Thursday afternoon. One of the girls brought a spirit lamp to our room and we made tomato sauce we had biscuits cakes apples. I can tell you it was a treat for we poor starved girls. I wish you would bring me some cakes when you come to Toronto. Oct. 14, 1882 -- I get up at half past five and practise from six to seven, then study from seven to eight- -then breakfast school till half past one. I generally paint or draw in the afternoon then study practise again in the evening. Next week I am going to have an early breakfast and then practise from eight to nine. I think it will be better than from six to seven in the winter. I like Miss Wilson the music teacher so much. She is a splendid teacher so kind and nice. She wants me to take lessons on the violin. They are going to start a class and have a teacher from Toronto. I would not have to buy a violin until 1 learnt. They will provide one if you wish it. Miss Windeal left last Thursday. She has a position in the Art School in Toronto. I am sorry. I liked her so much. I hope they will get another teacher right away or it will put us all back in our work. They gave Miss Windeal a present worth $18. It was a hanging lamp, three volumes of poems and an album. They were all nicely bound and she was very pleased with them. I suppose you have not sent my box yet. Be sure to send me work when you do, for one of the girls here got one the other day. There were apples pears in it it had been left out at the station a week the apples were rotten and had spoilt. I hope you will send me as many of the things as you can get in the box for I am hungry nearly all the time. I sup- pose the board is as good as at other schools but it is really not good. The other day the meat was so rare tough that the teacher had to send for a servant to cut it. I could not touch it we never have butter for dinner so I had to